GfK: Trading up in a downturn with SiHs

Paul York examines the trend towards patients opting for silicone hydrogel daily disposable contact lenses

Despite positive economic news on GDP and the level of unemployment, one of the main issues affecting individuals is the continuing fall in real wages. Although price inflation has reduced recently to hover around the government target of 2 per cent, even at this level prices continue to increase at a rate beyond the growth of average take-home pay. The result, of course, is that consumers’ true purchasing power is being eroded over time. The Office for Budget Responsibility has claimed in January that consumers’ real earnings will not recover to their 2009/10 levels until 2018/19,1 meaning a prolonged squeeze for many.